The Average Fashionista

No, I don’t think of myself as some fashion guru because I am not. Maybe if I had an unlimited supply of clothes, shoes, accessories, and purses, but I don’t. How amazing would it be though?! I’m fortunate enough to love fashion and work within the fashion world, just still a college student here, OK? I’m flattered by people asking me for fashion advice, and I’d like to think I help them in the best way I can. Even though I may not have the closet I dream of(YET), I try to work some magic!

Let’s be real here… Nobody has that dream closet they want to be crazy successful enough to have because we’re all just trying to make it to the big leagues first, am I right?! (Well, most of us. Thx to my hunnies who are on here that are already there, I appreciate y’all too)

As I said, I’m lucky enough to get to work around clothes all the time. Talk about heaven! Therefore, I’m fortunate enough to get more clothes than I would normally buy as a full time college student. If you know me, you know 99% of my clothes come from the Paisley Pearl. Sadly, my taste is bigger than my pockets, but whose isn’t?!

Favorite brands. THML and Jade are amazing, but praise to THML. I go a little crazy in their showroom, sorry Whit. These are higher end brands, but still not what you’d pay for other brands elsewhere! You get what you pay for though because I still have a THML top that I bought SIX YEARS AGO and it looks brand new. These are the ones I reward myself with. The other brand I’d recommend is Free People, as far as great pieces that are well worth it. For more affordable brands, I lean towards Adrienne and Peach Love. But, PL is my all time fave because the COLORS, OMG. The most fun prints you’ll have in your closet!

Shoes are a struggle for me because I want them all, literally. I don’t buy them as often as clothes, but I try to even it out because you need to have that perfect pair for every outfit, YES. Matisse consumes my closet right now; they can be super affordable, and also super nice and worth the dollar. My fave nicer brands for dressy shoes are Antonio Melani, Gianni Bini, and Jessica Simpson. I ALWAYS find these on sale, hallelujah! Sometimes only $35 a pair. Tennis shoes are my weakness right now, though because the gym fit has to be stylish too! Adidas are my all time favorite, but Nike and New Balance are great too. Again, I always by tennies on sale!

MY OUTFIT: my top is THML and will be hitting the floor when the sun comes out, so be on the lookout! The embroidery on these tops is always amazing, and this one is just perfect. It has hints of mustard in there, hence the pants. My jeans are Angry Rabbit, and I’ve had these things for 6 years and they’re still going strong. I wanted to show different ways to style this for the different styles you have, though. First, I chose the Jessica Simpson heels that are my favorite pair of black heels, EVER. This is for the sassy soul who makes a statement. Second, I chose to pair with my Matisse booties for the more practical choice. If you’re on your feet all day, this is the way to go for sure. Either way, you’d kill the whole look!

Back to the real point- you can kill your style without breaking the bank. For myself, I try to do the responsible thing and wait to buy myself a few things until I know I have nothing else to pay for. I try not to buy too much at once or too close together, and don’t ever let your bank drop over the “perfect pair of shoes.” It is NOT worth it, I promise. Shoes are the number 1 thing I always try to find on sale, at least those $150 heels I’ll wear maybe 5 times. Stay up to date with your local boutiques because I promise, they have the affordable pieces, you just miss them until they’re sold out. Target and TJ Maxx are amazing for the random finds, so don’t sleep on them! Especially for athletic wear-TJM is my JAM!

Accessories may be my biggest pet peeve though, so I’m sorry, I have no advice here. I don’t buy jewelry unless I know I’m getting good quality, and its not a waste of my money. I don’t even buy $5 jewelry if I think its gonna fall apart. Not to sound snooty, I just can’t. It may sound so great, but to spend $5, 10 times to replace the same earrings. Go buy those Sheila’s that they’ll REPLACE for you. Personally, I’d rather have a few good pieces that I paid a little extra for, than a ton of stuff I’ll have to replace next year. SO, Sheila Fajl for the earrings, Betsy Pittard for earrings and necklaces, Buddha Girl for the bangles, Charleston Rice Beads for necklaces. I wear this stuff all the time, and you’d never know it. I’ve had my Sheila’s for 3 years, along with my Rice Beads being close behind, and they’re still perfect.

I know I don’t have any tricks to shopping because honestly, there is none. If you wait long enough, you’ll always miss out on those pieces you really want. Be choosy and pay the extra dollar for the ones you know you’ll wear in a few years still, and keep it cheap on the replaceable items. Take care of your clothes over anything! If you care for them correctly, you’ll see them last longer. That should be self explanatory, but some people just “don’t care.” Keep your shoes wiped clean and your jewelry fresh, even if you have to make it a chore once a month or so.

While I my not have given you the dirt on cheap wardrobes, I hope I helped point you in a good direction! Maybe you picked up a new brand you’ll fall in love with, or maybe you’ll finally go plunder through TJM. Either way, I hope you enjoyed this one! Thanks if you made it this far, subscribe please 🙂